I’m feeling heartbroken right now. My Gmail account, which I’ve maintained for 15 years, was hacked by someone who managed to bypass my two-factor authentication. The intruder added their own phone number, deleted my recovery email, and even set up a physical device for recovery purposes.
This situation has impacted my entire online presence. I lost my YouTube channel with 35,000 subscribers, my Upwork account where I was a top-rated freelancer, and I’m currently locked out of my LinkedIn account, which I hope to recover. Additionally, I had a KuCoin account linked to that Gmail that contained several thousand dollars.
The hardest part is losing a decade’s worth of family memories because I had a Google storage plan. My Gmail is still partially accessible on my primary device, but it keeps asking me to log in again, and none of my attempts are successful.
Does anyone have suggestions on how to handle this?
This happened to my colleague six months ago - the recovery timeline was brutal, so brace yourself for a long haul. He filed a complaint with the FBI’s IC3 division since crypto was stolen. Having an official case number apparently gets KuCoin and other platforms moving faster. Google responded way quicker once law enforcement got involved. He also hit up his mobile carrier for SIM swap logs or any unauthorized number changes - that evidence was huge for his case. The family photos hurt the most, but he got back about 70% through old email attachments and shared albums his relatives could access. Don’t give up on Google’s human review - keep hammering them with detailed recovery forms every few days. Include every bit of historical account info you can remember.
I’ve experienced something similar, and I know how distressing it can be. The recovery process is challenging, but persistence is key. Start by using Google’s recovery form and opt for human assistance if available; clearly explain the impact this issue has on your life and work. For your KuCoin account, reach out to their support team right away with any identification they require. They generally have measures in place for such situations. If you regain any access to your Google account, promptly utilize Google Takeout to secure your important data. Additionally, consider asking family members if they have backups of any cherished photos.
Damn, that’s rough. My buddy went through the same mess last year. Hit up @googlesupport on Twitter - they’re usually faster there than regular support. Check if family has those photos backed up anywhere or shared them in old group chats. For Kucoin, contact them ASAP with your ID docs. They’re pretty good about account recovery when your email gets compromised. Hang in there - recovery takes time but it’s definitely possible.
Manual security management doesn’t cut it anymore. Hackers are getting smarter, and you need automated systems watching 24/7.
Get an automated monitoring system that catches unusual activity before damage happens. I run flows that monitor login patterns, track recovery setting changes, and backup critical data to multiple secure locations.
For your situation - try Google’s account recovery first, but set up automated backups the second you get back in. I built a system that exports Gmail data, Google Photos, and other critical stuff on schedule. It also monitors security setting changes and sends instant alerts.
Automation works while you sleep. My setup caught three intrusion attempts last year and secured my accounts before any damage.
For recovery, hit up @GoogleSupport on Twitter too. Social media sometimes gets faster responses.
Once you’re back in, automate your digital security. Manual checks aren’t reliable enough. You can build these monitoring and backup flows easily at https://latenode.com